Defold vs melonJS
Defold
defold.commelonJS
melonjs.orgSide by side
| Figure | Defold | melonJS |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Game Engine Software | 8.9 (#8) | 8.4 (#37) |
| Console export | Yes | No |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Headquarters | Stockholm, Sweden | Singapore |
| Maker | The Defold Foundation owns the Defold brand and product, and Refold AB is contracted for most day-to-day product work. | The GitHub README says melonJS is actively maintained by the team at AltByte in Singapore. |
| Mobile export | Yes | Yes |
| Multiplayer tools | Yes | No |
| Scripting languages | Lua,Teal,C,C++,C#,Objective-C,Java,JavaScript | JavaScript; TypeScript |
| Source code model | source_available | open_source |
| Support | Defold offers community help through its forum and says technical support contracts are available if needed. | The site links to a Discord community for chat and support. |
| Target platforms | Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android,HTML5,PlayStation 4,PlayStation 5,Nintendo Switch | Web browsers; mobile devices via Capacitor-wrapped apps |
Plans
In their own words
Defold
Defold is a game engine for building cross-platform 2D and 3D games. Its toolchain combines an editor, runtime, scripting workflow, build pipeline, and deployment flow. Game logic is written in Lua; native extensions can use C, C++, Objective-C, Java, or JavaScript. Visual editors, a debugger, profiler, particle effects, animation, and integrated 2D and 3D physics are included. Target platforms listed are Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, HTML5, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch. Integrations include Firebase Analytics, AdMob, in-app purchases, push notifications, Google Play services, Nakama, and PlayFab. The Asset Portal offers reusable components and extensions. Live Update can provide additional game content after the initial download, with customizable content verification. Source code for the engine, editor, and build tools is available on GitHub under a developer-friendly license derived from Apache 2.0. Defold costs nothing, with no licensing fees, royalties, or runtime fees. Community help is available through a forum, and technical support contracts are available if needed.